thank you underachiever and kurla88 for the responses. i did visit both and definitely preferred penn's atmosphere, and i really like the gender and sexuality certificate they offer. i guess i'm just not convinced these things are worth passing up chicago's job placement power (especially on the west coast), despite chicago's somewhat repressed social atmosphere.

i also like penn's grading system better.....and the campus is way nicer than chicago! liked philly better too.

tintin wrote:thank you underachiever and kurla88 for the responses. i did visit both and definitely preferred penn's atmosphere, and i really like the gender and sexuality certificate they offer. i guess i'm just not convinced these things are worth passing up chicago's job placement power (especially on the west coast), despite chicago's somewhat repressed social atmosphere.

i also like penn's grading system better.....and the campus is way nicer than chicago! liked philly better too.

tintin wrote:thank you underachiever and kurla88 for the responses. i did visit both and definitely preferred penn's atmosphere, and i really like the gender and sexuality certificate they offer. i guess i'm just not convinced these things are worth passing up chicago's job placement power (especially on the west coast), despite chicago's somewhat repressed social atmosphere.

i also like penn's grading system better.....and the campus is way nicer than chicago! liked philly better too.

The job placement power (in general) is what was drawing me towards Chicago, but there were just so many other quality of life issues that put Penn way over Chicago in my book, and it sounds like it's the same for you.

You guys may not be able to answer this question but.... I want a big firm job in Miami, would you guys say graduating from Penn I would be a shoe in for a smaller market? You guys may not know Miami in specific but do people find jobs really easily when they look outside the typical NY, etc.

mrm2083 wrote:You guys may not be able to answer this question but.... I want a big firm job in Miami, would you guys say graduating from Penn I would be a shoe in for a smaller market? You guys may not know Miami in specific but do people find jobs really easily when they look outside the typical NY, etc.

I know a couple people who are going to Miami, most of them are from Miami so they have ties to the city already but there is at least one person who had no ties and is going to Miami. I wouldn't say you're a "shoo-in" per se, but you have a good chance. It depends on the market and on hiring. Some markets get hit hard in a year and it's really hard to get anything (e.g. SF this year).

tintin wrote:thank you underachiever and kurla88 for the responses. i did visit both and definitely preferred penn's atmosphere, and i really like the gender and sexuality certificate they offer. i guess i'm just not convinced these things are worth passing up chicago's job placement power (especially on the west coast), despite chicago's somewhat repressed social atmosphere.

i also like penn's grading system better.....and the campus is way nicer than chicago! liked philly better too.

Did you have any luck getting money out of either school?

not out of penn, although bayrex sent me a very nice email telling me that, and had a professor who got her jd there contact me, and one of the outlaw students as well, all trying to convince me to go.

tintin wrote:thank you underachiever and kurla88 for the responses. i did visit both and definitely preferred penn's atmosphere, and i really like the gender and sexuality certificate they offer. i guess i'm just not convinced these things are worth passing up chicago's job placement power (especially on the west coast), despite chicago's somewhat repressed social atmosphere.

i also like penn's grading system better.....and the campus is way nicer than chicago! liked philly better too.

Did you have any luck getting money out of either school?

not out of penn, although bayrex sent me a very nice email telling me that, and had a professor who got her jd there contact me, and one of the outlaw students as well, all trying to convince me to go.

i doubt chicago will give me $ either but they have not responded....

Ok, I still think you should go to Penn. The differences between Chi and Penn are definitely overblown. Personal happiness is a huge factor. Also, I will (most likely) be there and would love to be your classmate. I just joined the Penn c/o 2013 FB group actually

I don't know if you'd be able to assuage my anxiety here, but, unlikely almost all the other 2013 Penn admits (judging by the FB group), I currently go to a no-name, City University (not even state!) in New York. I have a great GPA, but college coursework has so far been a breeze. I'm assuming this is not the case for most of my classmates. I'm really worried that, relative to the other admits, I'm unprepared and kind of screwed. Is my worrying justified, or is this undue?

Core wrote:I don't know if you'd be able to assuage my anxiety here, but, unlikely almost all the other 2013 Penn admits (judging by the FB group), I currently go to a no-name, City University (not even state!) in New York. I have a great GPA, but college coursework has so far been a breeze. I'm assuming this is not the case for most of my classmates. I'm really worried that, relative to the other admits, I'm unprepared and kind of screwed. Is my worrying justified, or is this undue?

All I can say is - if you weren't good enough, you wouldn't have gotten in.

That being said, Penn has definitely been a blow to the ol' ego... but I assure you, you'll learn to cope. Will some people have a leg up from really challenging courses in undergrad? Maybe. But you also can't assume that courses are harder at any given school anyway.

Mostly, know that pretty much everyone feels like they're inferior to everyone else.

Core wrote:I don't know if you'd be able to assuage my anxiety here, but, unlikely almost all the other 2013 Penn admits (judging by the FB group), I currently go to a no-name, City University (not even state!) in New York. I have a great GPA, but college coursework has so far been a breeze. I'm assuming this is not the case for most of my classmates. I'm really worried that, relative to the other admits, I'm unprepared and kind of screwed. Is my worrying justified, or is this undue?

Core wrote:I don't know if you'd be able to assuage my anxiety here, but, unlikely almost all the other 2013 Penn admits (judging by the FB group), I currently go to a no-name, City University (not even state!) in New York. I have a great GPA, but college coursework has so far been a breeze. I'm assuming this is not the case for most of my classmates. I'm really worried that, relative to the other admits, I'm unprepared and kind of screwed. Is my worrying justified, or is this undue?

All I can say is - if you weren't good enough, you wouldn't have gotten in.

That being said, Penn has definitely been a blow to the ol' ego... but I assure you, you'll learn to cope. Will some people have a leg up from really challenging courses in undergrad? Maybe. But you also can't assume that courses are harder at any given school anyway.

Mostly, know that pretty much everyone feels like they're inferior to everyone else.

Thanks. For a second there, I totally misread that first part as "If you don't think you're good enough, don't go" lol.

Core wrote:I don't know if you'd be able to assuage my anxiety here, but, unlikely almost all the other 2013 Penn admits (judging by the FB group), I currently go to a no-name, City University (not even state!) in New York. I have a great GPA, but college coursework has so far been a breeze. I'm assuming this is not the case for most of my classmates. I'm really worried that, relative to the other admits, I'm unprepared and kind of screwed. Is my worrying justified, or is this undue?

Core wrote:I don't know if you'd be able to assuage my anxiety here, but, unlikely almost all the other 2013 Penn admits (judging by the FB group), I currently go to a no-name, City University (not even state!) in New York. I have a great GPA, but college coursework has so far been a breeze. I'm assuming this is not the case for most of my classmates. I'm really worried that, relative to the other admits, I'm unprepared and kind of screwed. Is my worrying justified, or is this undue?

i have this same exact fear.

Which is why you must be my classmate!

did you send in the deposit already core?

on a more serious note-how prevalent is the socratic method and how scary is it if you don't know the answer/aren't prepared?

Core wrote:I don't know if you'd be able to assuage my anxiety here, but, unlikely almost all the other 2013 Penn admits (judging by the FB group), I currently go to a no-name, City University (not even state!) in New York. I have a great GPA, but college coursework has so far been a breeze. I'm assuming this is not the case for most of my classmates. I'm really worried that, relative to the other admits, I'm unprepared and kind of screwed. Is my worrying justified, or is this undue?

i have this same exact fear.

Which is why you must be my classmate!

did you send in the deposit already core?

on a more serious note-how prevalent is the socratic method and how scary is it if you don't know the answer/aren't prepared?

Yup, but I'm still holding out some hope for CLS, SLS, and possibly getting off the HLS waitlist. This is probably false hope, but whatever. I'm very much happy with my Penn scholly, though.

Trust me I'm sure you guys are better of than me. I went to a relatively easy school, took an easy major and have been slacking off since I started (3.4). I'm trying to prepare myself for a really rude awakening.

Core wrote:I don't know if you'd be able to assuage my anxiety here, but, unlikely almost all the other 2013 Penn admits (judging by the FB group), I currently go to a no-name, City University (not even state!) in New York. I have a great GPA, but college coursework has so far been a breeze. I'm assuming this is not the case for most of my classmates. I'm really worried that, relative to the other admits, I'm unprepared and kind of screwed. Is my worrying justified, or is this undue?

I went to a small, no name college that was ridiculously easy. It is the work habits that are different b/t mean and others, not the intelligence. Its just that over the last 4 years I never had to work hard to get an A/A- and they did. That is apart from Ivy league grade inflation where everyone gets a B+ for showing up, lol. But I feel I fit in fine. I mean my life experiences are very different, but past that its great to be around other students who have done so much and are so committed to learning

tintin wrote:on a more serious note-how prevalent is the socratic method and how scary is it if you don't know the answer/aren't prepared?

The socratic method isn't scary, its more a nerdy peer-pressure. It usually (maybe 10% in some classes) doesn't effect your grade and your classmates wont care if you pass or look foolish because we all do sometimes.

tintin wrote:on a more serious note-how prevalent is the socratic method and how scary is it if you don't know the answer/aren't prepared?

During 1L it is pretty common. Some professors are nice and tell you what week you'll be on call or they'll go in alphabetical order, but most don't. It's a little jarring for the first few weeks and there is always that first call with a tough prof (civ pro usually) where you feel like an idiot, but really no one remembers what happens and they are just happy its not them being called on. There's a sigh of relief when a name is called and its not yours. You get used to it and you find good outlines that have the questions in them already and it's not so scary. That and you stop caring after the first semester. There's no penalty for getting a question wrong and your classmates are all searching the web and talking on gchat (hopefully some of them are helping you out while on call!).

After 1L cold calls are much less common and if the prof does socratic they warn you ahead of time when you're on call so that you are adequately prepared.

tintin wrote:sounds like that is how it is with most schools, good to know!

core, i did not have any luck with chicago $$- and their reply was very curt as well...hm.......

From ASW, Chicago sounded like they weren't going to give anyone any more money.

I also somewhat sympathize with the whole, OMG EVERYONE ELSE WENT TO YALE/COLUMBIA/CORNELL FOR UGRAD feel. Until I remembered that I could've gone there, but am now in the same situation as they are but have no ugrad debt.

tintin wrote:sounds like that is how it is with most schools, good to know!

core, i did not have any luck with chicago $$- and their reply was very curt as well...hm.......

From ASW, Chicago sounded like they weren't going to give anyone any more money.

I also somewhat sympathize with the whole, OMG EVERYONE ELSE WENT TO YALE/COLUMBIA/CORNELL FOR UGRAD feel. Until I remembered that I could've gone there, but am now in the same situation as they are but have no ugrad debt.

Sending in my deposit tonight!

It may seem like everyone went to "great" undergrads, but for better or worse, I have found that the people who went to said undergrads feel the need to tell everyone about it whereas those of us who went to X State University don't really care.

tintin wrote:sounds like that is how it is with most schools, good to know!

core, i did not have any luck with chicago $$- and their reply was very curt as well...hm.......

From ASW, Chicago sounded like they weren't going to give anyone any more money.

I also somewhat sympathize with the whole, OMG EVERYONE ELSE WENT TO YALE/COLUMBIA/CORNELL FOR UGRAD feel. Until I remembered that I could've gone there, but am now in the same situation as they are but have no ugrad debt.